Bridge Day offers 'adrenaline rush'

Two men perform a tandem jump off of the New River Gorge Bridge during Saturday's 34th annual Bridge Day Celebration.

Lawrence Pierce
People wait for the New River Gorge Bridge to open for Saturday's celebration.

Lawrence Pierce
BASE Jumpers line up for their turn to leap off the bridge.

Lawrence Pierce
Cheryl Morgan gives her gear a last-minute inspection before leaping off the New River Gorge Bridge.

Lawrence Pierce
Donald Cripps, 84, hopes his leap off the bridge will put him in the Guinness Book of World Records as the world's oldest BASE jumper.

Lawrence Pierce
BASE jumpers release their parachutes and glide toward a hopefully safe landing along the New River on Saturday.

Lawrence Pierce
A pneumatic steel catapult launches a BASE jumper off the roadway of the New River Gorge Bridge on Saturday. toward the river, 876 feet below.

Lawrence Pierce
These folks make their way to the bridge's steel supports, to rappel down to the river far below.

Lawrence Pierce
This year's Bridge Day featured a team of professional pogo stickers that performed tricks for the crowd.

FAYETTEVILLE, W.Va. -- Before he could think twice, Paul Iglin was shot from a pneumatic steel catapult and launched into free-fall toward the New River, 876 feet below.

"They push the button and, whether or not you want to go, you're going," Iglin said.

Iglin was one of about 450 BASE jumpers who participated in 903 jumps at West Virginia's 34th annual Bridge Day Celebration on Saturday, atop the New River Gorge Bridge. It's the only day to legally jump off of the world's second-largest single-span bridge.

Donald Cripps of Florida returned to jump in his third Bridge Day. At 84, Cripps only jumped once but will submit a video of his jump to the Guinness Book of World Records, as the oldest person to complete a BASE jump.

Iglin, 33, of Cleveland, made his first BASE jump from the bridge in 2003. Many aspects about the event and area keep him coming back.

"I call it my mecca," Iglin said. "It's full of great memories, friends that I sometimes only meet once a year and, overall, it's just a jolly good time."

BASE is an acronym for building, antenna, span and earth. Its enthusiasts jump off fixed points, rather than from an aircraft, for a quick free-fall with a rapidly deployed parachute.

People began lining the edge of the bridge early Saturday to watch the BASE jumpers leap or be launched off the bridge.

One jumper leapt from the platform with a friend on his back before both released their parachutes. Another jumper sailed into the air, tucked into a ball and somersaulted five times in mid-air.

"If I want to go and do some nice, really spectacular BASE jumps that are legal and I can do a couple times a day, I have to go to Europe and spend a lot of money," Iglin said. "[With] this, I can get in my car and be here."

Iglin said the catapult takes jumpers out of their comfort zone. Saturday was his first time being catapulted from the New River Gorge Bridge.

"It's a lot less control," he said, "and a lot more fun."

When spectators weren't watching jumps, they could enjoy food, crafts and entertainment from a variety of vendors stationed near the bridge.

A crowd filled the roadway and surrounding area. The West Virginia State Police closed down U.S. Route 19 for the celebration.

Cindy Dragon, Bridge Day Celebration chairwoman, said Saturday's event was a total success.

"It was a good, steady crowd all day," Dragon said.

Cripps spent 23 years in the military, where he was around planes and parachuting. He isn't sure if he will make it back next year, but has high hopes for his world-record submission.

"I'm looking forward to a safe jump and getting it over with," he said.

Cheryl Morgan received her Bridge Day jumpers' packet the same day she got an AARP application. Morgan, who's from North Carolina, said BASE jumping helps keep her life interesting.